What Is a Virtual CTO

A Virtual Chief Technology Officer, an outsourced, off-site IT manager, solves these issues and more every day. Generally speaking, the overall objective of a Virtual CTO is to advise and guide an organization by providing the best technology solutions to maximize efficiency.

Virtual CTO, What is that ?

Is your business struggling with finding technology solutions to fit its needs? Do you believe you are losing money due to a lack of technological efficiency? A Virtual Chief Technology Officer, an outsourced, off-site IT manager, solves these issues and more every day. Generally speaking, the overall objective of a Virtual CTO is to advise and guide an organization by providing the best technology solutions to maximize efficiency. For example, a Virtual CTO aims to align an organization’s IT strategy with its overall objectives.How to Know if You Need a Virtual CTOBecause hiring an in-house chief technology officer can be cost-prohibitive for small- and medium-size organizations, many of them have begun looking elsewhere. Today, organizations can obtain the same level of expertise from an outsourced technology executive.

If you think your business might benefit from outside help, see if any of these four warning signs apply to your business’ current situation.

Your organization is having difficulty keeping up with the changing demands of technology.

Technology issues in the office are becoming a distraction.

Your company can’t justify the resources to hire an in-house staff member to manage IT.

You see value in ongoing IT service rather than emergency quick fixes.

If your answer was ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions, then an outside IT executive could be beneficial to your business.

Virtual CTOs have the experience and expertise to:

Other key benefits include keeping management informed and up-to-date about how resources are actually being used; safeguards an organization’s private data and optimizing business processes.

Cost-Effective, Highly Strategic Hire

A Virtual Chief Technology Officer is a cost-effective, highly strategic hire that can handle a number of different responsibilities, including:

Evaluate current network infrastructure, including client/staff needs and business goals, to determine what hardware needs to be added or replaced

Oversee current technology assets

Develop a technology vision for the organization

Ensure that technical infrastructure is well-planned and effectively supported

Provide assistance with decision-making on all technology-related matters

Develop policies

Implement procedures

Identify trends that could impact business

They also provide long-term technology planning, including developing strategic goals. For example, this executive can aid communication between upper management and staff by bridging knowledge gaps. Or, if internal issues occur within your IT department, they are qualified to troubleshoot the problem.

As small and medium-sized companies start to notice the impact technology can have on all aspects of their business, these warning signs present an opportunity to consider hiring a Virtual CTO.